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I need to learn the technique of tuning by ear.


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Wanna learn how to tune-in simply by hearing the sound.

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@Prabhu lots of practice. No skill program I know

Use a tuner to tune High E, so at least that pitch is right

Now press B sting at 5th fret pick it, and E, notes should match,  tune up/down B to match E

Next press G string 4th fret,  pick it and B make them match by ear

Press D string at 5th fret,  compare D to G

Same for A and G, fret at 5th 

Compare A 5th to D open

Compare E 5th to A open

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I have a tuning fork, tuned to A 440, that I bought in the 1970s . 

From there I can tune all the other strings.

I'm an old fart, I know.

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@tjmeyers don;t feel too bad TJ... I have one too 🙂 They are very accuate for tuning by ear. No batteries required!  (I use a Boss WazaCraft Tuner app now most of the time).

I've found that tuning your guitar "by ear" is actually the best way. This means tuning the guitar "to itself", meaning each string in relation to the next, ie a 4th away. This way the intonation should be near perfect, (if your not tone deaf that is...). I have one guitar (an acoustic) that if it's tuned precisely to the tuner app, sounds a bit off, but when tuned "to itself" (as @Eracer_Team-DougH describes above) or by the tuning fork, sounds perfect.  

You can check the intonation by playing the same note and /or chord in serveral places on the fretboard, The "tone" will be slightly different, but the "pitch" should be identical.

@Prabhu  If you use these methods you'll be fine. Over time, you'll be able to tell very quickly if the a certain string is out of tune. Watch the pros... they tune on the fly. Their "tuner app" is called..."Ears!".

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Well, I guess that makes me an extra old fart who wears two hearing aids. For me my best buddy is the Snark.

Henk

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Oldjock: As an aside. Is that like "extra spicey"? :-) I had to get a clip on chromatic tuner in order to tune my grand niece's violin. I liked my Snark, but haven't used it since.

Prabhu: Touching the tuning fork to the guitar face makes it easy to hear. I didn't get that right away. And for extra credit, here is a tech showing how to tune an acoustic twelve string by ear.

 

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Thank you Friends for replying to this post.   All I need is the hearing capabilities, to tune-in the Guitar by ears, but without a tuning fork or a Guitar tuner, how can i actually tune the high E string ?

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@Prabhu if you only play by yourself and never to recordings or with others. 

Use my method,without a tuning fork or tuner.

The guitar will be tuned to it self in what ever pitch. 

Will it be pitch perfect 99% no,

Can you play everything,  and sound  ok, yes.

Its tuned to itself. 

Can you play with others and recording,  highly doubtful,  you'll be off from those that are "in concert pitch "

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Yeah, I don't do recordings and I just can't go on and tune the Guitar with the tuner everytime I play. Though it will take some time but I'll go with this.

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Now days I use a Polytune tuner.

I'll tune the open string and the harmonic at the 12th fret. The harmonic seems to be a bit more accurate. Plus if the open string and the 12th fret harmonic are both in tune, the intonation is set properly.

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well Robert Johnson, BB, Charlie Christian didn't have tuners in the 30's and we listen to those recordings. but they played in bands where each had to be in tune with each other (well maybe not Robert, but certainly BB and Charlie did and they all had to tune to ear, typically a stringed instrument like a violin)

In reality.. use a tuner.. you'll eventually train your ear what is close to pitch and playing a chord or such you'll hear when you're off and can twink.

if you're solely playing by ear with out a tuning reference you'll train your ear to be off , although the guitar will be in tune to itself, you'll be used to playing out of pitch/key.

Indian is probably difficult to get stuff (I wouldn't know, never been there,) but do yourself a favor.. buy a tuner.. even a $20cdn/$12usd Snark , train your ear to be in pitch

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Okay, I'll buy a tuner, but how the mobile tuner is different from what we get in a real tuner, I mean how they're different ?

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If you have a smartphone or tablet then a tuner app would be a cheaper option. I use an app called Fine Tuner.

 

Screenshot 2020-07-16 at 08.45.28.png

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On 7/10/2020 at 12:47 PM, tjmeyers said:

I'm an old fart, I know.

I think there are quite a few of us on here that accurately describes!  Including my self in that group🤣☹️

7 hours ago, Fretless said:

If you have a smartphone or tablet then a tuner app would be a cheaper option. I use an app called Fine Tuner.

Yep, "there's an app for that"!  It is an economical solution and from my very limited observation seems accurate.  I use one called Guitar Tuna.  It's a handy little tuner and also has a metronome and a chord library.

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12 hours ago, Prabhu said:

Okay, I'll buy a tuner, but how the mobile tuner is different from what we get in a real tuner, I mean how they're different ?

I'm not sure how to answer you as far as how it's different.  but someone above mentioned, I think, a Snark tuner, which has somewhat become the standard for a "clip on tuner".

A very cheap alternative to the Snark, and the phone app mentioned is a Reverb tuner.  Really cheap.  $5.  Although I don't know what the shipping will be for you.  I have one clipped on my guitar right now.

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Yeah, Amazon is selling clipped guitar tuner. Don't know if they work fine ?

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@Prabhu there are studio grade tuners than there is the rest of us.

Most apps are pretty much as accurate as a clip on tuner

There is always going to be a slight variation +/- a couple of "cents" in tuning

They'll be "good enough "

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